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Topic: Skeds for camping trip this weekend (Read 11008 times)

Here we go again with my usual last minute weekend plans I'm leaving tomorrow morning to head for northeast Iowa to do some trout fishing/camping. Since it's my normal spur of the moment decision and we're pretty short on time to make skeds, I'll just throw out some times and frequencies and you can reply here if you want to QSO then. So........

Friday evening: 0130Z (2030 CST) 14.068 MHz CW

Saturday morning: 1300Z (0800 CST) 7.065 MHz CW

Saturday evening: 0130Z (2030 CST) 14.068 MHz CW

Sunday morning: 1300Z (0800 CST) 7.065 MHz CW

Depending on where you're located we could switch bands to get favorable propagation but I want to stay fairly close to those times. WARNING: if the trout are biting I reserve all rights to completely forget about sked times

KC9TNH

Sat AM have to run a voice-net. The two 20m slots I'll listen but likely too close. (Then again if you have that little top of the sombrero popping out of your antenna field I just might, since I see you're gonna be in northeast Iowa.)

The Night shot on 20m worked! We have some higher than usual sun numbers and got KK0G from camp into my home in coastal Virginia, rather than into the mid-Atlantic. He says camp and fishing is good.

We tried a quick test on 40m but though the propagation software said it should be better than 20m I heard KK0G on forty only weakly and the T-storm noise was terrible, almost as LOUD as Wes eating soup...

Also talked with Gil on 20m after sked and for fun, he dropped his power to 0.1 Watt. It was VERY rough copy , but I copied him over 800 miles away while he was using on tenth of one Watt!

Radio is 'magic'!

RadioRay ..._ ._W7ASA

S

« Last Edit: June 14, 2013, 11:40:23 PM by RadioRay »

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"When we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do the good we can." ~ Matthew Henry

As a plus, there is rarely any significant T-storm noise in the mornings, so it should be quite good.

< 5 KHz UP for QRM and call. I'll find you...

RadioRay ..._ ._W7ASA

Filling-in regularly 2nd hour of a net on Saturday mornings I can tell you that, in the midwest, 40m has major astrophysical adherence issues in the upper midwest. (You can translate if you want.) Oh, wait... that's SSB. Never mind.

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTIONS OF SOUTHEASTMINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE BY EARLY EVENING AS THEY SPREAD IN FROMWESTERN AREAS. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS ADDITIONAL HEAVYRAIN AND LIGHTNING. BECAUSE OF THAT...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS INEFFECT FOR TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY SINCE 1 TO 2 INCHES OF NEW RAINIS POSSIBLE. THIS WOULD LEAD TO MORE RUNOFF AND FLOODING ISSUES.

Keep ur powder dry!(nasty lookin' set of cells)

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KC9TNH

AAR, demonstrating for grand-daughter couple folks talking back & forth, looking for a 3rd. Never figured to copy Chris this close (and didn't), and didn't want to step on anyone if some were.Fair copy on Gil; superb copy on Ray. To be fair, the one wire was looking for Chris & favors Ray too; the other one I flipped over for a couple of seconds yielding more Gil, but more racket too.

Looks like one big cell went south of Chris, but the night is young up this way... Nice 20m watch men; you've done your duty.

KK0G was weak readable on 20m tonight. He reports that his camp and the fishing are both good and thanked us for checking in on him.

>>> For those who are not getting on the air, because they believe that their code ' is not fast enough to get on the air', KK0G is doing this remote QRP from camp using a tiny, 2 Watt CW transceiver that he built himself, operating at an accurate & steady 12 WPM. Remember: accuracy is more important than speed. Faster does not travel any further - though it does occasionally travel less in tough conditions.

Wes - thanks for the AAR, especially the signal report. That was ten Watts from the Elecraft. Let's get this going Elecraft to Elecraft reeeeeeeal sooooooon!

>de RadioRay ..._ ._W7ASA

« Last Edit: June 15, 2013, 03:36:14 PM by RadioRay »

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"When we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do the good we can." ~ Matthew Henry

KC9TNH

KK0G was weak readable on 20m tonight. He reports that his camp and the fishing are both good and thanked us for checking in on him.

>>> For those who are not getting on the air, because they believe that their code that ' is not fast enough to get on the air', KK0G is doing this remote QRP from camp using a tiny, 2 Watt CW transceiver that he built himself, operating at an accurate & steady 12 WPM. Remember: accuracy is more important than speed. Faster does not travel any further - though it does occasionally travel less in tough conditions.

Wes - thanks for the AAR, especially the signal report. That was ten Watts from the Elecraft. Let's get this going Elecraft to Elecraft reeeeeeeal sooooooon!

>de RadioRay ..._ ._W7ASA

My pleasure. Chris & I are likely about 85 mi from each other right now as the RF flies; in fact, without any weather crackling like it was, a low wire on 80m could've done it.

It was lots of fun with the grand-daughter stopping by as I think she's gradually getting the bug and knowing someone was out there camping & could do that. Heard Gil clear but light early, about 1/2hr before the sked. When you came in (on the loop I imagine) she reflexively sat back from the table on the bunk, your sig was that strong. I made a point of writing on a steno pad as you went back & forth - at the aforementioned steady & accurate pace - and she had one of those "I could do that" moments.

As to the Elecraft, I have this hole on the desk that will be filled very shortly. And, as you know, the 817 is going to a good home in easy CW shouting distance to your AO. Slowly but steadily this stuff could get real interesting and just think, the rigs don't weigh 25lbs and no one's hand-cranking for power!

One other thing: For those members who may be in listening mode only during these skeds, all signal reports are appreciated because, well, there is theory behind antenna design, and then there is the reality of how things play. Knowing where one's signal can/can't go is a valuable thing and quite often worth much more than just putting watts out.

If I can, I'll see if I can get one of the others on the voice net this AM to take part of my time & listen for Chris at the 0800 CDT time 40m; no promises. Weather might give us a breather too. Tomorrow is still a go for sure and in listening watch again tonight maybe.

I missed the 08:00C / 40m sked. Was anyone able to listen? Last night, KK0G was calling :

RAD PREP RAD PREP DE KK0G KK0G KCaught my ear!-----

Wes - (short timer!) Interesting that you mention your granddaughter and the Morse code. It seems an anachronism to most (that means a fear of spiders - right?!??! ) that 'people still DO that?!?

I was even following a discussion on one "survivalist' board were the 'expert' was declaring that Morse code is basically worthless because it's so 'old fashioned'. Hmmm, so they're self-declared 'cyber-experts' in things like fire-by-friction, but State, continental and inter-continental communication using kit radios the size of a cigarette case, like Gil's MTR is 'too old fashioned'. Oddly enough their alternative was a rucksack filled with heavy, fragile and expensive gear (along with all their other 'bug-out gear, making them heavy as a self-propelled, tactical Wal-Mart) so that 'survivors' could (allegedly) use voice or laptops to type their HF messages whilst running through the jungles of Chicago. . . Even a cursory examination of their site(s) showed NO radio contacts being made at all, much less anything from group members out in the woods with radio gear as part of their basic load-out of normal camping gear in the backpack.

>>> It has occurred to me, that there is a growing portion of THIS site which is doing what the old 'Adventure Radio Society' used to do: serve as a forum for like minded outdoor/travelers who bring radio WITH them into the woods, mountains and work locations while traveling. Alas, the old ARS has turned into a contesters points gathering club. I rarely see any more postings where their members go to the woods/park or sea shore with the radio, unless there's a contest and certificates involved.

Perhaps this RP camping radio skeds is a trend? I may open a new thread under 'General' (though I was a sergeant, never a general...) and start a thread about this topic, because many of us like to camp and bring radios with us.

>Ray

« Last Edit: June 15, 2013, 10:56:37 AM by RadioRay »

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"When we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do the good we can." ~ Matthew Henry

KC9TNH

Wes - (short timer!) Interesting that you mention your granddaughter and the Morse code. It seems an anachronism to most (that means a fear of spiders - right?!??! ) that 'people still DO that?!?

Couple of thoughts on all that. IMO, the full toolbag is the way to go. But, there are a couple of things not sure some folks realize under the heading of "things you would've learned when studying had you been paying attention."

Because the blue marble rotates E-W stuff is different than prop in a given timezone, so bang for the buck in terms of signal is CW, it's physics. Also, in the northern hemisphere the polar aurora dipping a few degrees of latitude can have a huge effect (mostly negative). CW works. [BT] [AR]

>>> It has occurred to me, that there is a growing portion of THIS site which is doing what the old 'Adventure Radio Society' used to do: serve as a forum for like minded outdoor/travelers who bring radio WITH them into the woods, mountains and work locations while traveling. Alas, the old ARS has turned into a contesters points gathering club. I rarely see any more postings where their members go to the woods/park or sea shore with the radio, unless there's a contest and certificates involved.

There are some really pretty spots (no coincidence they allow opportunities to get up & in the clear) that I plan on visiting for a day or 2 at a time, not much travel, now that they'll finally be payin' me to stay at home. I would be very much all over a specific forum area setup for that; or it can stay where it is, but it may be fun, as you say, as long as there isn't wallpaper & points involved.